02/08/2026
Why Moral Authority Matters …
Every society serves a highest authority, whether people recognize it or not. In the Bible, God is not only worshipped; He is also the supreme Lawgiver. The laws of a nation reveal what that nation considers to be its highest authority. In simple terms, if you want to identify the “god” of a system, look at the source of its laws. The authority that ultimately defines what is right and wrong occupies the place of sovereignty.
From a Christian perspective, this principle explains why the moral direction of a society matters so much. If God’s standards are accepted as the highest authority, then justice and morality are measured against His revealed Word. If human opinion becomes the highest authority instead, then morality changes with culture, popular opinion, or personal preference.
Many of the legal and moral principles that shaped Western civilization, such as the value of human life, honesty, justice, marriage, and the protection of the vulnerable- have historically been understood by Christians as being rooted in biblical teaching. Over time, however, many societies have increasingly embraced moral relativism. Relativism argues that there are no universal moral absolutes and that each individual or culture should decide what is right for itself.
At first, this sounds attractive because it promises freedom from judgment. People don’t want to be judged. They want to be happy. Yet the same freedom also removes any common standard for judging injustice or wrongdoing. If every person’s truth is equally valid, then disagreements are settled not by truth but by influence, power, or public opinion. Accountability becomes uncomfortable because people no longer want their choices measured against an authority outside themselves, especially the ethical teachings of Scripture.
The Bible presents a different picture. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” The verse reminds believers that sincere feelings alone are not a reliable guide for moral decisions. Human judgment, when separated from God’s wisdom, can lead people into destructive paths even when those paths appear reasonable.
This conflict becomes especially visible in family life. I had an intense conversation about this with my family. My sons in their early 20s and my daughters in their late teenage years obviously are going through a growing up experience different from mine when I was their age. I didn’t have the internet and mobile phones to communicate widely as they do today. With these devices come influences that can contradict and confuse moral authority in the family. Even some parents today are manipulated by the media to cede moral authority to external influences.
Strong families depend on stable commitments rather than changing preferences. Marriage requires faithfulness. Parenting requires consistent discipline and moral instruction. Children need clear examples of honesty, responsibility, respect, and self-control. When these values become optional or are constantly redefined according to personal preference, families often struggle with confusion about roles, responsibilities, and lifelong commitment. The result can be broken trust, weakened relationships, and greater instability across generations.
The same challenge is now increasingly felt within some churches. Situation-based ethics encourages people to treat biblical commands as flexible suggestions rather than enduring truths. Teachings on marriage, parenting, submission, faith, generosity, and prosperity may become shaped more by the latest revelation claimed by influential leaders than by careful study of Scripture itself. Personal revelations can encourage believers, but within historic Christian teaching they are meant to be tested against God’s written Word, not replace it. When individual interpretations become the final authority, the authority of Scripture is gradually weakened.
The book of Judges describes a society that had abandoned God’s authority with these words: “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). The result was not greater freedom but repeated cycles of disorder, injustice, and suffering. The biblical account serves as a warning that when every individual becomes the final judge of right and wrong, social harmony becomes difficult to maintain.
This trend reaches beyond the church. It influences education, childrearing, business, healthcare, media, agriculture, economics, and public policy. As societies increasingly remove God from public life, biblical morality is often replaced by standards that change with each generation. Young people, especially in Africa, encounter these ideas daily through global media and social platforms. They may absorb values that celebrate unlimited personal autonomy while living in communities that still depend on shared moral responsibilities for family and social stability.
Christians need not reject every aspect of modern culture, nor should they respond with fear or hostility. But they are called to examine every idea in the light of Scripture. True freedom is not the absence of moral authority; it is living under the wise and loving authority of God. A society that loses its moral foundation may gain greater personal choice, yet it also risks losing the shared values that preserve justice, strengthen families, and hold communities together.
The question facing every generation is therefore not whether it will have a god, but which authority it will ultimately trust to define truth, justice, and the good life. Choose the God of the Bible. He is Lord, and moral relativism will eventually be judged by the laws of God according to His Word. The fear of God is virtue, share the value.
(c) Okey NWAMADI
Author - Faith As Capital
